'Submit proof or stop misleading': ECI on Rahul's K'taka voter fraud claim

The Election Commission has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit names of voters he claims were wrongly listed, demanding a signed declaration after his allegations of electoral fraud in Karnataka

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to submit names of voters he claimed were wrongfully included or excluded from the electoral rolls, along with a signed declaration, so that appropriate action could be taken.

 

According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI) citing Election Commission of India (ECI) sources, Gandhi must either submit a formal declaration under the Conduct of Election Rules, listing the alleged discrepancies, or "stop misleading" the public and "making baseless allegations" against the poll body.

 

In a letter to Gandhi following his press conference in Delhi, the CEO said, "You had mentioned about the inclusion of ineligible electors and exclusion of eligible electors in the Electoral Rolls..."

 

 

The CEO requested Gandhi to: "Sign and return the enclosed declaration/oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, along with the name(s) of such elector(s) so that necessary proceedings can be initiated."

Massive voter fraud in Karnataka: Rahul

Speaking at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes in Mahadevapura Assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He claimed: 

• 11,965 duplicate voters
• 40,009 with fake or invalid addresses
• 10,452 bulk/single address voters
• 4,132 with invalid photos
• 33,692 misusing Form 6 for new voters

Gandhi said the Congress was expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with just nine. The party then examined its losses and focused on Mahadevapura, where it found serious voter discrepancies.

 

"This discrepancy is a huge imbalance... we discovered that approximately 1,00,250 votes were stolen in the Mahadevapura assembly," he said. 

 

Gandhi supported his statements with a live presentation, showing examples of fake and duplicate voters, citing: "This is EC data, and the EC is saying it is getting free and fair polls done. In one assembly segment, one lakh fake voters are there... this evidence is 100 per cent in black and white."

 

He alleged a nationwide pattern of fraud, saying: "We are absolutely convinced that this crime is being done on a huge scale across the country... the Election Commission is trying to destroy the evidence."

Take it as an oath: Gandhi to EC

Reacting to the EC's demand for a signed declaration, Gandhi said: "I am a politician, what I say to the people is my word. I am saying it to the people publicly, take it as an oath." He added: "Interestingly, they haven't denied the information... they know the truth. We know you (EC) have done this across the country." 

Letter to Shri Rahul Gandhi, Hon'ble Member of Parliament and Hon'ble Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha  Expecting the signed declaration and oath@ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/7CLG100V2r

— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) August 7, 2025

 

Gandhi also called upon the judiciary to intervene, stating: "The democracy we love so much does not exist... if this is true, it's gone." He accused the Election Commission of being complicit: "If the Election Commission now does not give us electronic voter data of the last 10-15 years... they are partaking in the crime."

 

The Congress leader issued a stern warning to officials involved in the alleged fraud: "It doesn't matter how senior or junior you are. One day, the Opposition is going to come to power and then you see what we do to you."

 

He added, "You are attacking the foundation of what our forefathers who fought for India's freedom built and we are not going to allow you to do that, no matter who you are."

Choreographed polls: Rahul

Gandhi accused the ECI of working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling it a "Crime being committed against the Indian Constitution, against the Indian flag."

 

He claimed the BJP only needed to "steal" 25 seats to stay in power: "The BJP won 25 seats in the Lok Sabha polls with less than 33,000 votes." He also questioned the fairness of the voter rolls: "Are the right people allowed to vote? Are fake people being added? Is the voter list true or not?"

 

He pointed out that: "Anti-incumbency hits every single party, but the BJP is the only party that does not suffer anti-incumbency in a democratic framework."

 

He criticised the extended election schedule, calling the current system "choreographed", unlike earlier when polls were conducted across the country simultaneously with minimal technology.

 

Gandhi alleged the ECI was deliberately withholding voter data: "The Election Commission is not giving us data because they are afraid... we will do in the remaining Lok Sabha seats what we did in Mahadevapura." He added, "Then the truth of the country's democracy will come out."